In this episode, Fatty tells Hottie a little bit about his Breck Epic experience (it matters, because it determined what bike Fatty rode in Leadville), as well as gives a full-on blow-by-blow of his 21st Leadville 100.

We do away with our normal show structure for this episode -- it's a lot more like one of our bonus episodes, with a couple of friends talking about a race both of us love.

This is the last "regular" show of the season. Hottie and Fatty want to thank our listeners for your kind feedback, and we definitely want to thank the dozens (really!) of you who — before, during, or after the race — mentioned enjoying the show. We're really proud of what we created, and it's awesome to have that work acknowledged. We also want to thank Rebecca Rusch and Jonathan Lee for their generosity with their time and insight.

If you have an amazing story that would make a great bonus episode, leave a comment with with the short version of it here.

Finally, a big thank-you to our sponsors, each of which took a big gamble on an experiment, and stuck with us through every episode:

The Feed, which fueled Fatty to and through this race, including getting me through a very tough spot at a critical moment.

Shimano, which gave both Fatty and his wife an utterly flawless, no-maintenance-needed, trouble-free shifting and braking for seven straight days of mountain bike racing. XT Di2 is so good it makes Fatty mist up.

ENVE Composites, for bombproof wheels, bars, and stems. Seven days of mountain bike racing on the M525 for both Fatty and his wife, with not a single pinch flat. Perfect, confident riding for the whole week for both of them.

Banjo Brothers, for sturdy, affordable, great-looking bags that do exactly what they should. Somewhere out there, there's a rider who DIDN'T have a Banjo Brothers seat bag whose race didn't end because Fatty does.

]]>The training, the logistics, the stress, the excitement, and the actual racing are now all behind us...at least for this year.

Now it's time for some storytelling.

In this episode, Fatty tells Hottie a little bit about his Breck Epic experience (it matters, because it determined what bike Fatty rode in Leadville), as well as gives a full-on blow-by-blow of his 21st Leadville 100.

We do away with our normal show structure for this episode -- it's a lot more like one of our bonus episodes, with a couple of friends talking about a race both of us love.

This is the last "regular" show of the season. Hottie and Fatty want to thank our listeners for your kind feedback, and we definitely want to thank the dozens (really!) of you who — before, during, or after the race — mentioned enjoying the show. We're really proud of what we created, and it's awesome to have that work acknowledged. We also want to thank Rebecca Rusch and Jonathan Lee for their generosity with their time and insight.

If you have an amazing story that would make a great bonus episode, leave a comment with with the short version of it here.

Finally, a big thank-you to our sponsors, each of which took a big gamble on an experiment, and stuck with us through every episode:

The Feed, which fueled Fatty to and through this race, including getting me through a very tough spot at a critical moment.

Shimano, which gave both Fatty and his wife an utterly flawless, no-maintenance-needed, trouble-free shifting and braking for seven straight days of mountain bike racing. XT Di2 is so good it makes Fatty mist up.

ENVE Composites, for bombproof wheels, bars, and stems. Seven days of mountain bike racing on the M525 for both Fatty and his wife, with not a single pinch flat. Perfect, confident riding for the whole week for both of them.

Banjo Brothers, for sturdy, affordable, great-looking bags that do exactly what they should. Somewhere out there, there's a rider who DIDN'T have a Banjo Brothers seat bag whose race didn't end because Fatty does.

]]>01:04:13cleanThe training, the logistics, the stress, the excitement, and the actual racing are now all behind us...at least for this year. Now it's time for some storytelling. Fatty tells a little bit about his Breck Epic experience, and a full-on blow-by blow of his 22nd Leadville 100 MTB attempt. fullS1E12: The Final HourS1E12: The Final HourMon, 06 Aug 2018 07:00:00 +0000When you pass the Carter's Aid Station, you've got 12 miles and about an hour left in your race. In this episode of The Leadville Podcast, Hottie and Fatty talk not just about the physical part of the course — the St Kevens climb and descent, the push to the pavement, the railroad doubletrack and the brutal finish up The Boulevard — but the mental toll the race has likely taken on you.

Do not miss this fierce and satisfying conclusion to the pre-race episodes of Season 1 of The Leadville Podcast!

(Don't worry, though: there will be at least one post-race storytelling session episode of the show before we go on hiatus 'til season 2.)

]]>When you pass the Carter's Aid Station, you've got 12 miles and about an hour left in your race. In this episode of The Leadville Podcast, Hottie and Fatty talk not just about the physical part of the course — the St Kevens climb and descent, the push to the pavement, the railroad doubletrack and the brutal finish up The Boulevard — but the mental toll the race has likely taken on you.

Do not miss this fierce and satisfying conclusion to the pre-race episodes of Season 1 of The Leadville Podcast!

(Don't worry, though: there will be at least one post-race storytelling session episode of the show before we go on hiatus 'til season 2.)

]]>57:51cleanWhen you pass the Carter's Aid Station, you've got 12 miles and about an hour left in your race. In this episode of The Leadville Podcast, Hottie and Fatty talk not just about the physical part of the course — the St Kevens climb and descent, the push to the pavement, the railroad doubletrack and the brutal finish up The Boulevard — but the mental toll the race has likely taken on you.
Do not miss this fierce and satisfying conclusion to the pre-race episodes of Season 1 of The Leadville Podcast! fullS1B6: The Course -- All 103.5 Miles of It (BONUS)S1B6: The Course -- All 103.5 Miles of ItThu, 02 Aug 2018 07:00:00 +0000It's a full three hours of Hottie and Fatty detailing The Course. You may want some time markers for this episode in case you need to break it up or want to revisit certain parts. Here you go:

0:05:50 - At The Starting Line (S1E1)

0:17:35 - Starting Line to Base of St. Kevens (S1E2)

0:32:25 - St Kevens to Hagerman's Pass (S1E3)

0:43:00 - Up Hagerman's Pass and Sugarloaf (S1E4)

0:51:18 - Down Powerline (S1E5)

1:04:48 - Bottom of Powerline to Pipeline (S1E6)

1:14:06 - Up Columbine (S1E7)

1:34:10 - Down Columbine to Pipeline (S1E8)

1:51:35 - Pipeline to Powerline (S1E9)

2:00:05 - Up Powerline (S1E10)

2:21:49 - Down Sugarloaf, Hagerman's, Up to Carter's (S1E11)

2:36:50 - Carter's to the Finish Line! (S1E12)

]]>It's a full three hours of Hottie and Fatty detailing The Course. You may want some time markers for this episode in case you need to break it up or want to revisit certain parts. Here you go:

0:05:50 - At The Starting Line (S1E1)

0:17:35 - Starting Line to Base of St. Kevens (S1E2)

0:32:25 - St Kevens to Hagerman's Pass (S1E3)

0:43:00 - Up Hagerman's Pass and Sugarloaf (S1E4)

0:51:18 - Down Powerline (S1E5)

1:04:48 - Bottom of Powerline to Pipeline (S1E6)

1:14:06 - Up Columbine (S1E7)

1:34:10 - Down Columbine to Pipeline (S1E8)

1:51:35 - Pipeline to Powerline (S1E9)

2:00:05 - Up Powerline (S1E10)

2:21:49 - Down Sugarloaf, Hagerman's, Up to Carter's (S1E11)

2:36:50 - Carter's to the Finish Line! (S1E12)

]]>03:03:40cleanIt's a full three hours of Hottie and Fatty detailing The Course. You may want some time markers:
0:05:50 Starting Line
0:17:35 Starting Line to Base of St. Kevens
0:32:25 St Kevens to Hagerman's
0:43:00 Up Hagerman's Pass and Sugarloaf
0:51:18 Down Powerline
1:04:48 Bottom of Powerline to Pipeline
1:14:06 Up Columbine
1:34:10 Down Columbine to Pipeline
1:51:35 Pipeline to Powerline
2:00:05 Up Powerline
2:21:49 Down Sugarloaf, Hagerman's, Up to Carter's
2:36:50 Carter's to the Finish Line!fullS1E11: OK, You're In Leadville. Now What?S1E11: OK, You're In Leadville. Now What?Tue, 31 Jul 2018 07:00:00 +0000In this episode of The Leadville Podcast, Rebecca Rusch — The Queen of Pain — talks about the advice she gave to Fatty's wife a few years ago: the same advice that Lisa says changed everything for her:

"Pedal! Pedal! Pedal! Pedal!"

While your fitness is what it is at this point, understanding what Reba means by taking advantage of "the spaces in between" can make an enormous difference in your race. This is quite likely the most important lesson you can learn from this podcast, so pay attention.

Of course, before you race in Leadville, you've got to get to Leadville. Once there, what are you going to do for fun? And where are you going to eat? Hottie and Fatty have a long list full of great ideas for you.

And we get to the penultimate episode of our detailed description of The Course, talking about the rocky descent down Sugarloaf, the fast flight down Hagerman's Pass (on which we now have a ruling for correct pronunciation) and then the climb up Turquoise Lake Road, which you'll either love or...not.

This is a packed and fun episode, with plenty of useful info for both you AND your family and friends. Enjoy!

]]>In this episode of The Leadville Podcast, Rebecca Rusch — The Queen of Pain — talks about the advice she gave to Fatty's wife a few years ago: the same advice that Lisa says changed everything for her:

"Pedal! Pedal! Pedal! Pedal!"

While your fitness is what it is at this point, understanding what Reba means by taking advantage of "the spaces in between" can make an enormous difference in your race. This is quite likely the most important lesson you can learn from this podcast, so pay attention.

Of course, before you race in Leadville, you've got to get to Leadville. Once there, what are you going to do for fun? And where are you going to eat? Hottie and Fatty have a long list full of great ideas for you.

And we get to the penultimate episode of our detailed description of The Course, talking about the rocky descent down Sugarloaf, the fast flight down Hagerman's Pass (on which we now have a ruling for correct pronunciation) and then the climb up Turquoise Lake Road, which you'll either love or...not.

This is a packed and fun episode, with plenty of useful info for both you AND your family and friends. Enjoy!

]]>01:11:08cleanIn this episode of The Leadville Podcast, Rebecca Rusch — The Queen of Pain — talks about the advice she gave to Fatty's wife a few years ago: the same advice that Lisa says changed everything for her:
"Pedal! Pedal! Pedal! Pedal!"
Of course, before you race in Leadville, you've got to get to Leadville. Once there, what are you going to do for fun? And where are you going to eat? Hottie and Fatty have a long list full of great ideas for you. fullS1E10: The Powerline Climb: The Crux of the RaceS1E10: The Powerline Climb: The Crux of the RaceTue, 24 Jul 2018 06:00:00 +0000Everything you've done to prepare for this race leads to this moment. Every pedal stroke of the race itself leads to this climb. How you do in this four miles can be the difference between hitting or missing your Leadville 100 objective, whether it be to finish under twelve hours, under nine hours, or whatever your objective is.

In this episode of the Leadville Podcast, we obsess over mile 79 - 83, AKA (cue ominous music) The Powerline climb.

It's just four miles. It shouldn't be a big deal. Trust us: The Powerline is a Big Deal.

We're also pleased to bring Racer Gibson of Racer's Cycle Service to talk about final bike prep. Rebecca Rusch talks about descending techniques for those of us not-so-gifted at downhilling, and Jonathan Lee shares some hot (haha) new research on simulating high altitude training.

Support My Sponsors

We went out of our way, for this podcast, to reach out exclusively to companies we actually love and buy stuff from ourselves. Which is to say, you won't find ads here for life insurance companies or mattresses or cooking kits that come to you in a box. These are all companies I buy stuff from and use pretty much every damn ride. Please support them.

XT Di2 is just perfect. I have it on both my hardtail (a Felt Doctrine) and my full-suspension mountain bike (a Specialized Epic S-Works). Shimano makes the best drivetrain and braking components there are, and XT is bombproof and affordable.

Hottie and I have been using Maurten drink mix, and both of us are totally sold on it. No stomach issues, goes down easy, super easy to mix. I am a fan. And our podcast listeners can get a great price on a training and racing packs custom curated for Leadville racers. Go to TheFeed.com/leadville for the race pack, and there’s a link on that page to go to the training pack. And be sure to use the code LEADVILLE15 for a 15% discount on either of those boxes. You can use the LEADVILLE15 code at checkout for any Maurten drink mix purchase.

At Leadville, and at any race, you will see riders with all sorts of crazy ways to carry their bike repair essentials. People tape or velcro stuff to top tubes, stems, seatposts and seat tubes. We say do yourself a favor, use our sponsor, Banjo Brothers, to get your flat fixing goodies strapped properly to your bike.

And not just your race bike, but your commuting bike and your bikepacking bike...and they’ve even got great backpacks and messenger bags for when you’ve got to carry bigger stuff.

I've got a Banjo Brothers Bag on every bike I have, and have been for a dozen years. They’re simple and they’re bombproof. They just work.

I have ENVE wheels on my single speed setup. I have ENVE wheels on my hardtail setup. I have ENVE wheels on my full suspension setup. They are the very best wheels you can buy. They're very expensive, but they last forever (or if they don't, ENVE takes care of you pronto — they're the Nordstrom of the bike wheel world). Spend the money on a great set of wheels and watch them outlast the rest of your bike by a factor of two. F'reals.

]]>Everything you've done to prepare for this race leads to this moment. Every pedal stroke of the race itself leads to this climb. How you do in this four miles can be the difference between hitting or missing your Leadville 100 objective, whether it be to finish under twelve hours, under nine hours, or whatever your objective is.

In this episode of the Leadville Podcast, we obsess over mile 79 - 83, AKA (cue ominous music) The Powerline climb.

It's just four miles. It shouldn't be a big deal. Trust us: The Powerline is a Big Deal.

We're also pleased to bring Racer Gibson of Racer's Cycle Service to talk about final bike prep. Rebecca Rusch talks about descending techniques for those of us not-so-gifted at downhilling, and Jonathan Lee shares some hot (haha) new research on simulating high altitude training.

Support My Sponsors

We went out of our way, for this podcast, to reach out exclusively to companies we actually love and buy stuff from ourselves. Which is to say, you won't find ads here for life insurance companies or mattresses or cooking kits that come to you in a box. These are all companies I buy stuff from and use pretty much every damn ride. Please support them.

XT Di2 is just perfect. I have it on both my hardtail (a Felt Doctrine) and my full-suspension mountain bike (a Specialized Epic S-Works). Shimano makes the best drivetrain and braking components there are, and XT is bombproof and affordable.

Hottie and I have been using Maurten drink mix, and both of us are totally sold on it. No stomach issues, goes down easy, super easy to mix. I am a fan. And our podcast listeners can get a great price on a training and racing packs custom curated for Leadville racers. Go to TheFeed.com/leadville for the race pack, and there’s a link on that page to go to the training pack. And be sure to use the code LEADVILLE15 for a 15% discount on either of those boxes. You can use the LEADVILLE15 code at checkout for any Maurten drink mix purchase.

At Leadville, and at any race, you will see riders with all sorts of crazy ways to carry their bike repair essentials. People tape or velcro stuff to top tubes, stems, seatposts and seat tubes. We say do yourself a favor, use our sponsor, Banjo Brothers, to get your flat fixing goodies strapped properly to your bike.

And not just your race bike, but your commuting bike and your bikepacking bike...and they’ve even got great backpacks and messenger bags for when you’ve got to carry bigger stuff.

I've got a Banjo Brothers Bag on every bike I have, and have been for a dozen years. They’re simple and they’re bombproof. They just work.

I have ENVE wheels on my single speed setup. I have ENVE wheels on my hardtail setup. I have ENVE wheels on my full suspension setup. They are the very best wheels you can buy. They're very expensive, but they last forever (or if they don't, ENVE takes care of you pronto — they're the Nordstrom of the bike wheel world). Spend the money on a great set of wheels and watch them outlast the rest of your bike by a factor of two. F'reals.

]]>01:07:33cleanEverything you've done to prepare for this race leads to this moment. Every pedal stroke of the race itself leads to this climb. How you do in this four miles can be the difference between hitting or missing your Leadville 100 objective, whether it be to finish under twelve hours, under nine hours, or whatever your objective is.
The Powerline is just four miles. It shouldn't be a big deal. Trust us: It is a Big Deal. fullS1B5: Pacing Another Rider When Racing the Leadville 100 (BONUS Episode)Fri, 20 Jul 2018 07:00:00 +0000It's about time Hottie take his rightful place as star of this show to tell a story about one (or two) of the times he's completed the Leadville 100. In true Hottie fashion, though, instead of telling the story of his fastest racing of the Leadville 100, he talks about what he calls his most gratifying — and in some ways, challenging — effort: the time (times actually) he worked to help a good friend get onto the podium.

Whether you're interested in working with someone to help them finish fast, interested in having someone help you finish fast, or just enjoy someone with a fantastic voice telling you a great race story, this is a bonus episode you will not want to miss.

]]>It's about time Hottie take his rightful place as star of this show to tell a story about one (or two) of the times he's completed the Leadville 100. In true Hottie fashion, though, instead of telling the story of his fastest racing of the Leadville 100, he talks about what he calls his most gratifying — and in some ways, challenging — effort: the time (times actually) he worked to help a good friend get onto the podium.

Whether you're interested in working with someone to help them finish fast, interested in having someone help you finish fast, or just enjoy someone with a fantastic voice telling you a great race story, this is a bonus episode you will not want to miss.

]]>29:37cleanfullS1E9: Your Crew and You, Part 2: Put Your Crewing Strategy To WorkS1E9: Your Crew and You, Part 2: Put Your Crewing Strategy To WorkTue, 17 Jul 2018 07:00:00 +0000Hottie and Fatty start this episode of the Leadville Podcast from higher than 10,000 feet...even though they're nowhere near Leadville. In fact, they're at the finish line of the Crusher in the Tushar, which might just be the most perfect Leadville 100 Tuneup a racer could pick.

In addition to talking about their race day and what they learned, Hottie and Fatty dig into a very short — but deceptively difficult — section of The Course: the paved section between the Pipeline Aid Station and the Powerline climb. We don't want to give everything away here, but there might be crying, barfing, and electrolyte capsules involved in this discussion.

Rebecca Rusch — The Queen of Pain — talks about the tools, tubes, and techniques you need to be carrying with you when you do an epic race like the Leadville 100, and Jonathan Lee of TrainerRoad helps you refine your training as you get close (just a few weeks now) to the Leadville Trail 100.

As always, it's a packed show, with info all Leadville 100 racers — as well endurance racers training for other events — can put to use right away.

Enjoy!

]]>Hottie and Fatty start this episode of the Leadville Podcast from higher than 10,000 feet...even though they're nowhere near Leadville. In fact, they're at the finish line of the Crusher in the Tushar, which might just be the most perfect Leadville 100 Tuneup a racer could pick.

In addition to talking about their race day and what they learned, Hottie and Fatty dig into a very short — but deceptively difficult — section of The Course: the paved section between the Pipeline Aid Station and the Powerline climb. We don't want to give everything away here, but there might be crying, barfing, and electrolyte capsules involved in this discussion.

Rebecca Rusch — The Queen of Pain — talks about the tools, tubes, and techniques you need to be carrying with you when you do an epic race like the Leadville 100, and Jonathan Lee of TrainerRoad helps you refine your training as you get close (just a few weeks now) to the Leadville Trail 100.

As always, it's a packed show, with info all Leadville 100 racers — as well endurance racers training for other events — can put to use right away.

Enjoy!

]]>01:00:34cleanHottie and Fatty start this episode of the Leadville Podcast from the finish line of the Crusher in the Tushar, which may be the perfect Leadville 100 race tuneup.
In addition to talking about what they learned, Hottie and Fatty dig into a deceptively difficult section of The Course. We don't want to give everything away here, but there might be crying, barfing, and electrolyte capsules involved in this chat. Ew.
Enjoy this packed show!
fullS1B4: Talking With the Boss of the LT100: Kimo SeymourS1B4: Talking With the Boss of the LT100: Kimo SeymourFri, 13 Jul 2018 04:01:00 +0000Kimo Seymour is SVP in charge of events and media at Life Time Fitness, which includes the Leadville 100. In other words, he’s the boss of the race. He's also raced the Leadville 100 eleven times, finishing under EIGHT hours every single time.

In this conversation, Fatty and Kimo talk about how Life Time chooses qualifiers and what their plans are for new qualifiers going forward, why they have double-dipping for podiums, whether they’d consider a wave approach to the starting line, what makes this race so attractive, and more.

Fatty even pitches his idea for a Leadville-equivalent of the Dirty Kanza XL (and tries to secure an invite to it), getting a pretty surprising response.

]]>Kimo Seymour is SVP in charge of events and media at Life Time Fitness, which includes the Leadville 100. In other words, he’s the boss of the race. He's also raced the Leadville 100 eleven times, finishing under EIGHT hours every single time.

In this conversation, Fatty and Kimo talk about how Life Time chooses qualifiers and what their plans are for new qualifiers going forward, why they have double-dipping for podiums, whether they’d consider a wave approach to the starting line, what makes this race so attractive, and more.

Fatty even pitches his idea for a Leadville-equivalent of the Dirty Kanza XL (and tries to secure an invite to it), getting a pretty surprising response.

]]>42:36cleanKimo Seymour is VP in charge of events and media at Life Time Fitness, including the Leadville 100. In other words, he’s the boss of the race. Kimo's raced the Leadville 100 11 times, always finishing under 8 hours.
Fatty and Kimo talk about Life Time's plans for new qualifiers, why they have double-dipping for podiums, whether they’d consider a wave approach to the starting line, and much more.
It's a fun, informative bonus interview anyone interested in the Leadville 100 MTB race is sure to enjofullS1E8: Your Crew and You, Part 1: PlanningS1E8: Your Crew and YouTue, 10 Jul 2018 13:20:27 +0000There's a good chance that you've got friends and/or family coming along with you to Leadville, in which case there's nearly a 100% chance they're going to be crewing for you on race day.

Which means that they've got as big a day coming up as you do...but concentrated into short little moments of crazed intensity when you roll in, breathing hard and amped up and unable to articulate a darned thing.

This is the first of two episodes where Hottie and Fatty focus on crewing strategies for Leadville. You — and your crew — will not want to miss them. The Queen of Pain weighs in as well on this topic, driving home the "free minutes" a racer and crew can collect in this race with a well-executed race strategy.

Also on this (very packed!) episode, Fatty and Hottie talk about the Silver Rush 50 (since Fatty raced it about two hours before they recorded) — is it a good tune-up for the Leadville 100?

In this installment of The Course, Fatty and Hottie detail the trail from the top of Columbine to the Pipeline Aid Station.

And of course Jonathan Lee of TrainerRoad provides his weekly training tips.

It's a loaded show full of information you (and your crew) can use. Enjoy!

Support My Sponsors

We went out of our way, for this podcast, to reach out exclusively to companies we actually love and buy stuff from ourselves. Which is to say, you won't find ads here for life insurance companies or mattresses or cooking kits that come to you in a box. These are all companies I buy stuff from and use pretty much every damn ride. Please support them.

XT Di2 is just perfect. I have it on both my hardtail (a Felt Doctrine) and my full-suspension mountain bike (a Specialized Epic S-Works). Shimano makes the best drivetrain and braking components there are, and XT is bombproof and affordable.

Hottie and I have been using Maurten drink mix, and both of us are totally sold on it. No stomach issues, goes down easy, super easy to mix. I am a fan. And our podcast listeners can get a great price on a training and racing packs custom curated for Leadville racers. Go to TheFeed.com/leadville for the race pack, and there’s a link on that page to go to the training pack. And be sure to use the code LEADVILLE15 for a 15% discount on either of those boxes. You can use the LEADVILLE15 code at checkout for any Maurten drink mix purchase.

At Leadville, and at any race, you will see riders with all sorts of crazy ways to carry their bike repair essentials. People tape or velcro stuff to top tubes, stems, seatposts and seat tubes. We say do yourself a favor, use our sponsor, Banjo Brothers, to get your flat fixing goodies strapped properly to your bike.

And not just your race bike, but your commuting bike and your bikepacking bike...and they’ve even got great backpacks and messenger bags for when you’ve got to carry bigger stuff.

I've got a Banjo Brothers Bag on every bike I have, and have been for a dozen years. They’re simple and they’re bombproof. They just work.

I have ENVE wheels on my single speed setup. I have ENVE wheels on my hardtail setup. I have ENVE wheels on my full suspension setup. They are the very best wheels you can buy. They're very expensive, but they last forever (or if they don't, ENVE takes care of you pronto — they're the Nordstrom of the bike wheel world). Spend the money on a great set of wheels and watch them outlast the rest of your bike by a factor of two. F'reals.

]]>There's a good chance that you've got friends and/or family coming along with you to Leadville, in which case there's nearly a 100% chance they're going to be crewing for you on race day.

Which means that they've got as big a day coming up as you do...but concentrated into short little moments of crazed intensity when you roll in, breathing hard and amped up and unable to articulate a darned thing.

This is the first of two episodes where Hottie and Fatty focus on crewing strategies for Leadville. You — and your crew — will not want to miss them. The Queen of Pain weighs in as well on this topic, driving home the "free minutes" a racer and crew can collect in this race with a well-executed race strategy.

Also on this (very packed!) episode, Fatty and Hottie talk about the Silver Rush 50 (since Fatty raced it about two hours before they recorded) — is it a good tune-up for the Leadville 100?

In this installment of The Course, Fatty and Hottie detail the trail from the top of Columbine to the Pipeline Aid Station.

And of course Jonathan Lee of TrainerRoad provides his weekly training tips.

It's a loaded show full of information you (and your crew) can use. Enjoy!

Support My Sponsors

We went out of our way, for this podcast, to reach out exclusively to companies we actually love and buy stuff from ourselves. Which is to say, you won't find ads here for life insurance companies or mattresses or cooking kits that come to you in a box. These are all companies I buy stuff from and use pretty much every damn ride. Please support them.

XT Di2 is just perfect. I have it on both my hardtail (a Felt Doctrine) and my full-suspension mountain bike (a Specialized Epic S-Works). Shimano makes the best drivetrain and braking components there are, and XT is bombproof and affordable.

Hottie and I have been using Maurten drink mix, and both of us are totally sold on it. No stomach issues, goes down easy, super easy to mix. I am a fan. And our podcast listeners can get a great price on a training and racing packs custom curated for Leadville racers. Go to TheFeed.com/leadville for the race pack, and there’s a link on that page to go to the training pack. And be sure to use the code LEADVILLE15 for a 15% discount on either of those boxes. You can use the LEADVILLE15 code at checkout for any Maurten drink mix purchase.

At Leadville, and at any race, you will see riders with all sorts of crazy ways to carry their bike repair essentials. People tape or velcro stuff to top tubes, stems, seatposts and seat tubes. We say do yourself a favor, use our sponsor, Banjo Brothers, to get your flat fixing goodies strapped properly to your bike.

And not just your race bike, but your commuting bike and your bikepacking bike...and they’ve even got great backpacks and messenger bags for when you’ve got to carry bigger stuff.

I've got a Banjo Brothers Bag on every bike I have, and have been for a dozen years. They’re simple and they’re bombproof. They just work.

I have ENVE wheels on my single speed setup. I have ENVE wheels on my hardtail setup. I have ENVE wheels on my full suspension setup. They are the very best wheels you can buy. They're very expensive, but they last forever (or if they don't, ENVE takes care of you pronto — they're the Nordstrom of the bike wheel world). Spend the money on a great set of wheels and watch them outlast the rest of your bike by a factor of two. F'reals.

]]>01:10:19cleanYour crew has as big a day coming up as you do...but concentrated into short little moments of crazed intensity when you roll in, breathing hard and amped up and unable to articulate a darned thing.
In this episode Hottie, Fatty, and Rebecca Rusch (aka The Queen of Pain) focus on crewing strategies for Leadville. You — and your crew — will not want to miss this show.
Fatty and Hottie also detail the trail from the top of Columbine to the Pipeline Aid Station.fullS1E7: The Climb Up to Columbine MineS1E7: The Climb Up to Columbine MineMon, 02 Jul 2018 04:01:00 +0000In this episode, we’ll also be talking about the part of the course everyone obsesses about — one of the true defining moments of the Leadville 100: the climb to Columbine Mine.

We set you straight on the most asked about part of Leadville bike setup: the rolling parts. We brought in a couple of our friends from ENVE, both of them Leadville veterans — each with finish times of around 7:30 — to geek out about rims, tires, sealant and air pressure.

We talk about how to come back from setbacks during training, whether it's an injury or illness. Enjoy this seriously-packed show!

Support My Sponsors We went out of our way, for this podcast, to reach out exclusively to companies we actually love and buy stuff from ourselves. Which is to say, you won't find ads here for life insurance companies or mattresses or cooking kits that come to you in a box. These are all companies I buy stuff from and use pretty much every damn ride. Please support them, because you should. And also so they will love me and want to keep supporting me. It's the circle of advertising, folks. Shimano I don't even know what to say about Shimano that I haven't yet said. XT Di2 is just perfect. I have it on both my hardtail (a Felt Doctrine) and my full-suspension mountain bike (a Specialized Epic S-Works). The Hammer has it on her Epic, too, and it's her favorite bike ever. The way it shifts. The way it brakes. Shimano makes the best drivetrain and braking components there are, and XT is bombproof and affordable. Get it already and find out how much better your bike will be. The Feed Hottie and I have been using Maurten drink mix, and both of us are totally sold on it. No stomach issues, goes down easy, super easy to mix. Hottie's super anal about stuff like this, so he loved the package precision; they tell you exactly how much water to use, no guessing with scoops and different sized bottles. My overarching impression is that it’s a ridiculously non-intrusive way to get down a lot of calories. One bottle, 320 calories — it’s a little sweet, it’s a little thick, but there’s no aftertaste and I felt great — my stomach was fine, I didn’t feel that weird energy spike you get with some energy drinks. It tastes smooth, and it burns smooth. I am a fan. And our podcast listeners can get a great price on a training and racing packs custom curated for Leadville racers. Go to TheFeed.com/leadville for the race pack, and there’s a link on that page to go to the training pack. And be sure to use the code LEADVILLE15 for a 15% discount on either of those boxes. And starting with this episode (now, basically), you can use the LEADVILLE15 code at checkout for any Maurten drink mix purchase.Banjo Brothers

At Leadville, and at any race, you will see riders with all sorts of crazy ways to carry their bike repair essentials. People tape or velcro stuff to top tubes, stems, seatposts and seat tubes. We say do yourself a favor, use our sponsor, Banjo Brothers, to get your flat fixing goodies strapped properly to your bike.

And not just your race bike, but your commuting bike and your bikepacking bike...and they’ve even got great backpacks and messenger bags for when you’ve got to carry bigger stuff.

I've got a Banjo Brothers Bag on every bike I have, and have been for a dozen years. They’re simple and they’re bombproof. They just work.

I have ENVE wheels on my single speed setup. I have ENVE wheels on my hardtail setup. I have ENVE wheels on my full suspension setup. They are the very best wheels you can buy. They're very expensive, but they last forever (or if they don't, ENVE takes care of you pronto — they're the Nordstrom of the bike wheel world). Spend the money on a great set of wheels and watch them outlast the rest of your bike by a factor of two. F'reals.

]]>In this episode, we’ll also be talking about the part of the course everyone obsesses about — one of the true defining moments of the Leadville 100: the climb to Columbine Mine.

We set you straight on the most asked about part of Leadville bike setup: the rolling parts. We brought in a couple of our friends from ENVE, both of them Leadville veterans — each with finish times of around 7:30 — to geek out about rims, tires, sealant and air pressure.

We talk about how to come back from setbacks during training, whether it's an injury or illness. Enjoy this seriously-packed show!

Support My Sponsors We went out of our way, for this podcast, to reach out exclusively to companies we actually love and buy stuff from ourselves. Which is to say, you won't find ads here for life insurance companies or mattresses or cooking kits that come to you in a box. These are all companies I buy stuff from and use pretty much every damn ride. Please support them, because you should. And also so they will love me and want to keep supporting me. It's the circle of advertising, folks. Shimano I don't even know what to say about Shimano that I haven't yet said. XT Di2 is just perfect. I have it on both my hardtail (a Felt Doctrine) and my full-suspension mountain bike (a Specialized Epic S-Works). The Hammer has it on her Epic, too, and it's her favorite bike ever. The way it shifts. The way it brakes. Shimano makes the best drivetrain and braking components there are, and XT is bombproof and affordable. Get it already and find out how much better your bike will be. The Feed Hottie and I have been using Maurten drink mix, and both of us are totally sold on it. No stomach issues, goes down easy, super easy to mix. Hottie's super anal about stuff like this, so he loved the package precision; they tell you exactly how much water to use, no guessing with scoops and different sized bottles. My overarching impression is that it’s a ridiculously non-intrusive way to get down a lot of calories. One bottle, 320 calories — it’s a little sweet, it’s a little thick, but there’s no aftertaste and I felt great — my stomach was fine, I didn’t feel that weird energy spike you get with some energy drinks. It tastes smooth, and it burns smooth. I am a fan. And our podcast listeners can get a great price on a training and racing packs custom curated for Leadville racers. Go to TheFeed.com/leadville for the race pack, and there’s a link on that page to go to the training pack. And be sure to use the code LEADVILLE15 for a 15% discount on either of those boxes. And starting with this episode (now, basically), you can use the LEADVILLE15 code at checkout for any Maurten drink mix purchase. Banjo Brothers

At Leadville, and at any race, you will see riders with all sorts of crazy ways to carry their bike repair essentials. People tape or velcro stuff to top tubes, stems, seatposts and seat tubes. We say do yourself a favor, use our sponsor, Banjo Brothers, to get your flat fixing goodies strapped properly to your bike.

And not just your race bike, but your commuting bike and your bikepacking bike...and they’ve even got great backpacks and messenger bags for when you’ve got to carry bigger stuff.

I've got a Banjo Brothers Bag on every bike I have, and have been for a dozen years. They’re simple and they’re bombproof. They just work.

I have ENVE wheels on my single speed setup. I have ENVE wheels on my hardtail setup. I have ENVE wheels on my full suspension setup. They are the very best wheels you can buy. They're very expensive, but they last forever (or if they don't, ENVE takes care of you pronto — they're the Nordstrom of the bike wheel world). Spend the money on a great set of wheels and watch them outlast the rest of your bike by a factor of two. F'reals.

]]>01:24:30cleanIn this episode, we’ll also be talking about the part of the course everyone obsesses about — one of the true defining moments of the Leadville 100: the climb to Columbine Mine.
We set you straight on the most asked about part of Leadville bike setup: the rolling parts. We geek out about rims, tires, sealant and air pressure.
We talk about how to come back from setbacks during training, whether it's an injury or illness. Enjoy this seriously-packed show!fullS1B3: "This Race Changed My Life" (BONUS Episode)S1B3: "This Race Changed My Life" (BONUS Episode)Fri, 29 Jun 2018 04:17:39 +0000Here at the Leadville Podcast, we have fun preparing for and gaming out and gearing up for this race. But what we LOVE are the stories that come out of this race.

And it's high time we posted a woman's race report. More to the point, this is Lisa Nelson's (now Fatty's wife, though this happens before they were together) telling of her first Leadville 100, in her own words.

It is a case study in strength, flat tires, courage, hypothermia, tenacity, driving rain, and a world-class bonk.

Lisa now says this day permanently changed her life and her perception of who she is and what she can do. Seventeen years later, it still makes her emotional. We think it might make you emotional too. Fair warning.

Give this a listen some day when you just don't feel like going out on a ride. This tale of toughness might give you the inspiration you need to get out there and get it done.

]]>Here at the Leadville Podcast, we have fun preparing for and gaming out and gearing up for this race. But what we LOVE are the stories that come out of this race.

And it's high time we posted a woman's race report. More to the point, this is Lisa Nelson's (now Fatty's wife, though this happens before they were together) telling of her first Leadville 100, in her own words.

It is a case study in strength, flat tires, courage, hypothermia, tenacity, driving rain, and a world-class bonk.

Lisa now says this day permanently changed her life and her perception of who she is and what she can do. Seventeen years later, it still makes her emotional. We think it might make you emotional too. Fair warning.

Give this a listen some day when you just don't feel like going out on a ride. This tale of toughness might give you the inspiration you need to get out there and get it done.

]]>26:29yesHere at the Leadville Podcast, we have fun preparing for and gaming out and gearing up for this race. But what we LOVE are the stories that come out of this race.
And it's high time we posted a woman's race report. More to the point, this is Lisa Nelson's telling of her first Leadville 100.
It is a case study in strength, flat tires, courage, hypothermia, tenacity, driving rain, and a world-class bonk. This day, she says, changed her life forever.fullS1E6: It's Definitely About the BikeS1E6: It's Definitely About the BikeTue, 26 Jun 2018 03:54:42 +0000A Note from Fatty: Hey, next week (7/4-9) The Hammer and I are headed to Leadville to race the Silver Rush 50. If you're going to be in Leadville during that time, let me know. And more importantly, if you're thinking of RACING the Silver Rush 50 (the MTB or running version), use my MRK18INFEN code a checkout to get a $10 discount. This same code works, by the way, to get into the LT100 Stage Race. And from what I understand, those are your two best options for qualifying into the LT100. Indeed, from what I hear, racing the Stage Race is darn close to a guarantee for getting into LT100, as well as a really good way to preview the whole darn course and get some experience at altitude.

In this episode, we address the important questions in life: hardtail or full suspension? What is the right gearing? Have you thought about your shoes, since you're gonna do some hiking? And of course there's so much more on this Leadville-specific bike setup episode. Coach Jonathan Lee joins us for this deep-dive into all things gear.

In our Course segment, we’ll talk about what should be the fastest part of your day: from the moment you turn off the Powerline and onto the pavement, to the high-energy Twin Lakes Dam aid station...in the ominous shadow of the Columbine Mine Climb.

And In our Questions for the Queen, we ask Rebecca Rusch about head games — how do you trick yourself into a successful race?

Support My Sponsors We went out of our way, for this podcast, to reach out exclusively to companies we actually love and buy stuff from ourselves. Which is to say, you won't find ads here for life insurance companies or mattresses or cooking kits that come to you in a box. These are all companies I buy stuff from and use pretty much every damn ride. Please support them, because you should. And also so they will love me and want to keep supporting me. It's the circle of advertising, folks. Shimano I don't even know what to say about Shimano that I haven't yet said. XT Di2 is just perfect. I have it on both my hardtail (a Felt Doctrine) and my full-suspension mountain bike (a Specialized Epic S-Works). The Hammer has it on her Epic, too, and it's her favorite bike ever. The way it shifts. The way it brakes. Shimano makes the best drivetrain and braking components there are, and XT is bombproof and affordable. Get it already and find out how much better your bike will be. The Feed:

Hottie and I have been using Maurtens drink mix, and both of us are totally sold on it. No stomach issues, goes down easy, super easy to mix. Hottie's super anal about stuff like this, so he loved the package precision; they tell you exactly how much water to use, no guessing with scoops and different sized bottles.

My overarching impression is that it’s a ridiculously non-intrusive way to get down a lot of calories. One bottle, 320 calories — it’s a little sweet, it’s a little thick, but there’s no aftertaste and I felt great — my stomach was fine, I didn’t feel that weird energy spike you get with some energy drinks. It tastes smooth, and it burns smooth. I am a fan. And our podcast listeners can get a great price on a training and racing packs custom curated for Leadville racers. Go to TheFeed.com/leadville for the race pack, and there’s a link on that page to go to the training pack. And be sure to use the code LEADVILLE15 for a 15% discount on either of those boxes. Banjo Brothers

At Leadville, and at any race, you will see riders with all sorts of crazy ways to carry their bike repair essentials. People tape or velcro stuff to top tubes, stems, seatposts and seat tubes. We say do yourself a favor, use our sponsor, Banjo Brothers, to get your flat fixing goodies strapped properly to your bike.

And not just your race bike, but your commuting bike and your bikepacking bike...and they’ve even got great backpacks and messenger bags for when you’ve got to carry bigger stuff.

I've got a Banjo Brothers Bag on every bike I have, and have been for a dozen years. They’re simple and they’re bombproof. They just work.

I have ENVE wheels on my single speed setup. I have ENVE wheels on my hardtail setup. I have ENVE wheels on my full suspension setup. They are the very best wheels you can buy. They're very expensive, but they last forever (or if they don't, ENVE takes care of you pronto — they're the Nordstrom of the bike wheel world). Spend the money on a great set of wheels and watch them outlast the rest of your bike by a factor of two. F'reals.

]]>A Note from Fatty: Hey, next week (7/4-9) The Hammer and I are headed to Leadville to race the Silver Rush 50. If you're going to be in Leadville during that time, let me know. And more importantly, if you're thinking of RACING the Silver Rush 50 (the MTB or running version), use my MRK18INFEN code a checkout to get a $10 discount. This same code works, by the way, to get into the LT100 Stage Race. And from what I understand, those are your two best options for qualifying into the LT100. Indeed, from what I hear, racing the Stage Race is darn close to a guarantee for getting into LT100, as well as a really good way to preview the whole darn course and get some experience at altitude.

In this episode, we address the important questions in life: hardtail or full suspension? What is the right gearing? Have you thought about your shoes, since you're gonna do some hiking? And of course there's so much more on this Leadville-specific bike setup episode. Coach Jonathan Lee joins us for this deep-dive into all things gear.

In our Course segment, we’ll talk about what should be the fastest part of your day: from the moment you turn off the Powerline and onto the pavement, to the high-energy Twin Lakes Dam aid station...in the ominous shadow of the Columbine Mine Climb.

And In our Questions for the Queen, we ask Rebecca Rusch about head games — how do you trick yourself into a successful race?

Support My Sponsors We went out of our way, for this podcast, to reach out exclusively to companies we actually love and buy stuff from ourselves. Which is to say, you won't find ads here for life insurance companies or mattresses or cooking kits that come to you in a box. These are all companies I buy stuff from and use pretty much every damn ride. Please support them, because you should. And also so they will love me and want to keep supporting me. It's the circle of advertising, folks. Shimano I don't even know what to say about Shimano that I haven't yet said. XT Di2 is just perfect. I have it on both my hardtail (a Felt Doctrine) and my full-suspension mountain bike (a Specialized Epic S-Works). The Hammer has it on her Epic, too, and it's her favorite bike ever. The way it shifts. The way it brakes. Shimano makes the best drivetrain and braking components there are, and XT is bombproof and affordable. Get it already and find out how much better your bike will be. The Feed:

Hottie and I have been using Maurtens drink mix, and both of us are totally sold on it. No stomach issues, goes down easy, super easy to mix. Hottie's super anal about stuff like this, so he loved the package precision; they tell you exactly how much water to use, no guessing with scoops and different sized bottles.

My overarching impression is that it’s a ridiculously non-intrusive way to get down a lot of calories. One bottle, 320 calories — it’s a little sweet, it’s a little thick, but there’s no aftertaste and I felt great — my stomach was fine, I didn’t feel that weird energy spike you get with some energy drinks. It tastes smooth, and it burns smooth. I am a fan. And our podcast listeners can get a great price on a training and racing packs custom curated for Leadville racers. Go to TheFeed.com/leadville for the race pack, and there’s a link on that page to go to the training pack. And be sure to use the code LEADVILLE15 for a 15% discount on either of those boxes. Banjo Brothers

At Leadville, and at any race, you will see riders with all sorts of crazy ways to carry their bike repair essentials. People tape or velcro stuff to top tubes, stems, seatposts and seat tubes. We say do yourself a favor, use our sponsor, Banjo Brothers, to get your flat fixing goodies strapped properly to your bike.

And not just your race bike, but your commuting bike and your bikepacking bike...and they’ve even got great backpacks and messenger bags for when you’ve got to carry bigger stuff.

I've got a Banjo Brothers Bag on every bike I have, and have been for a dozen years. They’re simple and they’re bombproof. They just work.

I have ENVE wheels on my single speed setup. I have ENVE wheels on my hardtail setup. I have ENVE wheels on my full suspension setup. They are the very best wheels you can buy. They're very expensive, but they last forever (or if they don't, ENVE takes care of you pronto — they're the Nordstrom of the bike wheel world). Spend the money on a great set of wheels and watch them outlast the rest of your bike by a factor of two. F'reals.

]]>01:17:59cleanIn this episode, we address the important questions in life: hardtail or full suspension? What is the right gearing? Have you thought about your shoes, since you're gonna do some hiking? And of course there's so much more on this Leadville-specific bike setup episode.
In our Course segment, we’ll cover from the moment you turn off the Powerline and onto the pavement, to the high-energy Twin Lakes Dam aid station...in the ominous shadow of the Columbine Mine Climb.
fullFatty & HottieS1B2: An Interview with 6X LT100 Winner Dave WiensS1B2: An Interview with 6X LT100 Winner Dave WiensFri, 22 Jun 2018 04:01:00 +0000When Dave Wiens talks, Leadville racers listen. That's because they know that this six-time LT100 champion really knows his stuff, partly from having won this race so many times, and partly from having taught the Leadville 100 Camp of Champions several times. Chances are, if a racer has a question, he’s heard it.

We get into bike choice, pacing, nutrition, the Race Across the Sky movies, Dave's up-close-and-personal view of Floyd Landis’ crash, and a lot more.

]]>When Dave Wiens talks, Leadville racers listen. That's because they know that this six-time LT100 champion really knows his stuff, partly from having won this race so many times, and partly from having taught the Leadville 100 Camp of Champions several times. Chances are, if a racer has a question, he’s heard it.

We get into bike choice, pacing, nutrition, the Race Across the Sky movies, Dave's up-close-and-personal view of Floyd Landis’ crash, and a lot more.

]]>36:32cleanWhen Dave Wiens talks, Leadville racers listen. That's because they know that this six-time LT100 champion really knows his stuff, partly from having won this race so many times, and partly from having taught the Leadville 100 Camp of Champions several times. Chances are, if a racer has a question, he’s heard it.
We get into bike choice, pacing, nutrition, the Race Across the Sky movies, Dave's up-close-and-personal view of Floyd Landis’ crash, and a lot more.fullS1E5: Pacing and the Powerline (Special Guest: 6x Champ Dave Wiens)S1E5: Pacing and the Powerline (Special Guest: 6x Champ Dave Wiens)Tue, 19 Jun 2018 04:01:00 +0000Six-Time Leadville 100 Champ Dave Wiens joins Hottie and Fatty to talk about strategies for racing the Leadville 100, from pacing yourself to pacing others to just trying to not blow up halfway through the race.

We deep-dive on the first dirt descent in the race: The Powerline, teasing apart one of the most treacherous parts of the race

And In our Questions for the Queen, we ask Rebecca Rusch about food logistics. Bottles! Camelbaks! Food! Wrappers! Where do you put it all for easy access, and how do you manage it when your heart is going fast and your brain is going slow...if at all.

Finally, coach Jonathan Lee is back ramping up your workouts and planning out your week for a proper build to the second Saturday in August -- just eight-ish weeks away now.

]]>Six-Time Leadville 100 Champ Dave Wiens joins Hottie and Fatty to talk about strategies for racing the Leadville 100, from pacing yourself to pacing others to just trying to not blow up halfway through the race.

We deep-dive on the first dirt descent in the race: The Powerline, teasing apart one of the most treacherous parts of the race

And In our Questions for the Queen, we ask Rebecca Rusch about food logistics. Bottles! Camelbaks! Food! Wrappers! Where do you put it all for easy access, and how do you manage it when your heart is going fast and your brain is going slow...if at all.

Finally, coach Jonathan Lee is back ramping up your workouts and planning out your week for a proper build to the second Saturday in August -- just eight-ish weeks away now.

]]>01:02:40cleanSix-Time Leadville 100 Champ Dave Wiens joins Hottie and Fatty to talk about strategies for racing the Leadville 100, from pacing yourself to pacing others to just trying to not blow up halfway through the race.
We deep-dive on the first dirt descent in the race: The Powerline, teasing apart one of the most treacherous parts of the race
And In our Questions for the Queen, we ask Rebecca Rusch about food logistics. Bottles! Camelbaks! Food! Wrappers! How do you manage it all in the heat of the race?fullS1E4: The (Lack of) Air Up ThereS1E4: The (Lack of) Air Up ThereTue, 12 Jun 2018 04:01:00 +0000All of our episodes are "must-hear" episodes, but this is quite likely the most critical episode you can listen to this year. We've got an incredible interview with Dr Colin Grissom, a well-known pulmonologist with special expertise in exercise at high-altitude. If you're racing the LT100, you NEED to hear what he has to say.

In Our Questions for the Queen segment, Rebecca Rusch gets gross, talking about how to keep going when you have GI issues.

In our segment on The Course, we talk about road tactics on Hagerman, as what is often acknowledged as the best part of the race: Sugarloaf Jonathan Lee’s training advice will — finally — cut you a little slack.

]]>All of our episodes are "must-hear" episodes, but this is quite likely the most critical episode you can listen to this year. We've got an incredible interview with Dr Colin Grissom, a well-known pulmonologist with special expertise in exercise at high-altitude. If you're racing the LT100, you NEED to hear what he has to say.

In Our Questions for the Queen segment, Rebecca Rusch gets gross, talking about how to keep going when you have GI issues.

In our segment on The Course, we talk about road tactics on Hagerman, as what is often acknowledged as the best part of the race: Sugarloaf Jonathan Lee’s training advice will — finally — cut you a little slack.

]]>01:04:10cleanAll of our episodes are "must-hear" episodes, but this is quite likely the most critical episode you can listen to this year. We've got an incredible interview with Dr Colin Grissom, a well-known pulmonologist with special expertise in exercise at high-altitude. If you're racing the LT100, you NEED to hear what he has to say.fullS1B1: The Racer With Samson HairS1B1: The Racer With Samson HairFri, 08 Jun 2018 01:23:53 +0000Dave Edwards is a guy Fatty met in 2014 during a pre-race clinic Rebecca Rusch and Fatty put on. Dave was a friendly guy, who — like most people — was very excited about the race. Unlike most people, he had an amazing head of below-shoulder-length blond hair. He had been growing it out, like Samson, for this race.

Dave's story and Fatty's intersected again, at the finish line of the race...but not in the way you might expect.

These bonus episodes are because there’s a lot more to the Leadville Trail 100 than just being fast and fit and smart. This is a race of stories, and these short little bonus episodes are to give us room to tell stories.

]]>Dave Edwards is a guy Fatty met in 2014 during a pre-race clinic Rebecca Rusch and Fatty put on. Dave was a friendly guy, who — like most people — was very excited about the race. Unlike most people, he had an amazing head of below-shoulder-length blond hair. He had been growing it out, like Samson, for this race.

Dave's story and Fatty's intersected again, at the finish line of the race...but not in the way you might expect.

These bonus episodes are because there’s a lot more to the Leadville Trail 100 than just being fast and fit and smart. This is a race of stories, and these short little bonus episodes are to give us room to tell stories.

]]>28:50noDave Edwards is a guy Fatty met in 2014 during a pre-race clinic Rebecca Rusch and Fatty put on. Dave was a friendly guy, who — like most people — was very excited about the race. Unlike most people, he had an amazing head of below-shoulder-length blond hair. He had been growing it out, like Samson, for this race.
Dave's story and Fatty's intersected again, at the finish line of the race...but not in the way you might expect.fullS1E3: Feeding Frenzy!S1E3: Feeding Frenzy!Tue, 05 Jun 2018 04:01:00 +0000In this episode we go to the buffet — it's the show almost ALL about food.

Dr Kevin Sprouse — Medical Director for theEF Education First / Drapac presented by Cannondale Pro Cycling Team — has a practical prescription for your race nutrition, including changes you need to start making RIGHT NOW.

Rebecca Rusch will reveal what’s in her feed bag in Our Questions for the Queen segment, then Fatty and Hottie talk about their respective Leadville menus (they're miles apart).

We continue our mile-by-mile (or is that minute-by-minute?) analysis of the course, including pinpointing the first places you should get out something to eat.

Finally, Jonathan Lee’s training advice for this show is going to have you outside on a long ride, putting everything you learned about eating in this show into practice.

Since we talk about rice cakes very frequently during this episode, here's a recipe for rice cakes from Dr. Allen Lim (of Feed Zone Cookbook fame), originally posted in FatCyclist.com:

Ingredients:

2 cups uncooked calrose or other medium-grain “sticky” or sushi rice (never use Basmati as it won’t stick.)

3 cups water (Fatty swaps chicken broth out for this)

8 ounces of bacon (prosciutto or sausage or even roasted chicken also works great)

Combine rice and water in a rice cooker. Start rice cooker. If using a standard pot, combine rice and water, bring to a boil, then let simmer on low for about 20 minutes.

While rice is cooking, chop up bacon before frying, then fry in a medium sauté pan. When crispy, drain off fat and soak up excess fat with paper towels.

Beat the eggs in a small bowl and tehn scramble on high heat in the sauté pan. Don’t worry about overcooking the eggs as they’ll break up easily when mixed with the rice.

In a large bowl or in the rice cooker bowl, combine the cooked rice, bacon, and scrambled eggs. Add liquid aminos or soy sauce and sugar to taste. After mixing, press into an 8- or 9-inch square baking pan to about 1 ½ inch thickness. Top with more sugar, salt, and grated Parmesan if desired.

Cut and wrap individual cakes in a paper foil like Martha Wrap™. Makes about 10 cakes.

Thanks to Our Sponsors We went out of our way, for this podcast, to reach out exclusively to companies we actually love and buy stuff from ourselves. Which is to say, you won't find ads here for life insurance companies or mattresses or cooking kits that come to you in a box.

Shimano: Shimano XT Di2 is glorious anywhere, but its magnificence really comes into play when you're 78 miles into a high-altitude race and are now at a part of the race where it would be really nice to shift pretty much constantly, precisely, and perfectly, without much effort. That's Shimano XT Di2.

The Feed: The Leadville Trail 100 MTB Race is an eating contest disguised as a bike race, and you need to train for that eating contest. Get to know the good folks at The Feed and start using your race food plan now, before it's too late. Get yourself a Leadville race pack or training pack, and use the code LEADVILLE15 for a 15% discount!

Banjo Brothers: A simple, sturdy, well-designed, time-tested saddle bag is a must during this race. Fatty's trusted Banjo Brothers bags on his LT100 bike race for more than a decade.

ENVE: Whether you're thinking about your cockpit or your wheels, the Leadville 100 is the very definition of an ENVE dream scenario. I've got an M5 bar and M525 wheels on his bike and rides without fear of broken components or pinch flats.

]]>In this episode we go to the buffet — it's the show almost ALL about food.

Dr Kevin Sprouse — Medical Director for the EF Education First / Drapac presented by Cannondale Pro Cycling Team — has a practical prescription for your race nutrition, including changes you need to start making RIGHT NOW.

Rebecca Rusch will reveal what’s in her feed bag in Our Questions for the Queen segment, then Fatty and Hottie talk about their respective Leadville menus (they're miles apart).

We continue our mile-by-mile (or is that minute-by-minute?) analysis of the course, including pinpointing the first places you should get out something to eat.

Finally, Jonathan Lee’s training advice for this show is going to have you outside on a long ride, putting everything you learned about eating in this show into practice.

Since we talk about rice cakes very frequently during this episode, here's a recipe for rice cakes from Dr. Allen Lim (of Feed Zone Cookbook fame), originally posted in FatCyclist.com:

Ingredients:

2 cups uncooked calrose or other medium-grain “sticky” or sushi rice (never use Basmati as it won’t stick.)

3 cups water (Fatty swaps chicken broth out for this)

8 ounces of bacon (prosciutto or sausage or even roasted chicken also works great)

Combine rice and water in a rice cooker. Start rice cooker. If using a standard pot, combine rice and water, bring to a boil, then let simmer on low for about 20 minutes.

While rice is cooking, chop up bacon before frying, then fry in a medium sauté pan. When crispy, drain off fat and soak up excess fat with paper towels.

Beat the eggs in a small bowl and tehn scramble on high heat in the sauté pan. Don’t worry about overcooking the eggs as they’ll break up easily when mixed with the rice.

In a large bowl or in the rice cooker bowl, combine the cooked rice, bacon, and scrambled eggs. Add liquid aminos or soy sauce and sugar to taste. After mixing, press into an 8- or 9-inch square baking pan to about 1 ½ inch thickness. Top with more sugar, salt, and grated Parmesan if desired.

Cut and wrap individual cakes in a paper foil like Martha Wrap™. Makes about 10 cakes.

Thanks to Our Sponsors We went out of our way, for this podcast, to reach out exclusively to companies we actually love and buy stuff from ourselves. Which is to say, you won't find ads here for life insurance companies or mattresses or cooking kits that come to you in a box.

Shimano: Shimano XT Di2 is glorious anywhere, but its magnificence really comes into play when you're 78 miles into a high-altitude race and are now at a part of the race where it would be really nice to shift pretty much constantly, precisely, and perfectly, without much effort. That's Shimano XT Di2.

The Feed: The Leadville Trail 100 MTB Race is an eating contest disguised as a bike race, and you need to train for that eating contest. Get to know the good folks at The Feed and start using your race food plan now, before it's too late. Get yourself a Leadville race pack or training pack, and use the code LEADVILLE15 for a 15% discount!

Banjo Brothers: A simple, sturdy, well-designed, time-tested saddle bag is a must during this race. Fatty's trusted Banjo Brothers bags on his LT100 bike race for more than a decade.

ENVE: Whether you're thinking about your cockpit or your wheels, the Leadville 100 is the very definition of an ENVE dream scenario. I've got an M5 bar and M525 wheels on his bike and rides without fear of broken components or pinch flats.

]]>58:41cleanIn this episode we go to the buffet — it's the show almost ALL about food.
Dr Kevin Sprouse has a practical prescription for your race nutrition, including changes you need to start making RIGHT NOW.
Rebecca Rusch will reveal what’s in her feed bag in Our Questions for the Queen segment, and we continue our detailed analysis of the course.
Finally, Jonathan Lee’s training advice gets you outside on a long ride, putting everything you learned about eating in this episode into practice.fullS1E2: Preventing — and Coping With — CrampsS1E2: Preventing — and Coping With — CrampsTue, 29 May 2018 13:41:52 +0000In this episode, we talk about the endurance racer’s worst enemy: cramps. Fatty interviews Rebecca Rusch — The Queen of Pain — to get her tips on avoiding and surviving cramps, and Hottie and Fatty talk about our own experiences and expertise on dealing with cramps, too.

We detail the dash for the Leadville City limits in our "The Course" segment, digging into the seven most important things you can know about in the first six miles of this race.

You'll be astonished at how many of these tips are useful no matter what race you're doing.

Finally, Coach Jonathan Lee of TrainerRoad talks about rest intervals, an often-neglected piece of getting real race fitness. If you've ever cramped — or would like to avoid them in the future — you should listen to this episode. And you should subscribe, too, because that will make us happy.

Thanks to Our Sponsors We went out of our way, for this podcast, to reach out exclusively to companies we actually love and buy stuff from ourselves. Which is to say, you won't find ads here for life insurance companies or mattresses or cooking kits that come to you in a box.

Shimano: Shimano XT Di2 is glorious anywhere, but its magnificence really comes into play when you're 78 miles into a high-altitude race and are now at a part of the race where it would be really nice to shift pretty much constantly, precisely, and perfectly, without much effort. That's Shimano XT Di2.

The Feed: The Leadville Trail 100 MTB Race is an eating contest disguised as a bike race, and you need to train for that eating contest. Get to know the good folks at The Feed and start using your race food plan now, before it's too late.

Banjo Brothers: A simple, sturdy, well-designed, time-tested saddle bag is a must during this race. Fatty's trusted Banjo Brothers bags on his LT100 bike race for more than a decade.

ENVE: Whether you're thinking about your cockpit or your wheels, the Leadville 100 is the very definition of an ENVE dream scenario. I've got an M5 bar and M525 wheels on his bike and rides without fear of broken components or pinch flats.

]]>In this episode, we talk about the endurance racer’s worst enemy: cramps. Fatty interviews Rebecca Rusch — The Queen of Pain — to get her tips on avoiding and surviving cramps, and Hottie and Fatty talk about our own experiences and expertise on dealing with cramps, too.

We detail the dash for the Leadville City limits in our "The Course" segment, digging into the seven most important things you can know about in the first six miles of this race.

You'll be astonished at how many of these tips are useful no matter what race you're doing.

Finally, Coach Jonathan Lee of TrainerRoad talks about rest intervals, an often-neglected piece of getting real race fitness. If you've ever cramped — or would like to avoid them in the future — you should listen to this episode. And you should subscribe, too, because that will make us happy.

Thanks to Our Sponsors We went out of our way, for this podcast, to reach out exclusively to companies we actually love and buy stuff from ourselves. Which is to say, you won't find ads here for life insurance companies or mattresses or cooking kits that come to you in a box.

Shimano: Shimano XT Di2 is glorious anywhere, but its magnificence really comes into play when you're 78 miles into a high-altitude race and are now at a part of the race where it would be really nice to shift pretty much constantly, precisely, and perfectly, without much effort. That's Shimano XT Di2.

The Feed: The Leadville Trail 100 MTB Race is an eating contest disguised as a bike race, and you need to train for that eating contest. Get to know the good folks at The Feed and start using your race food plan now, before it's too late.

Banjo Brothers: A simple, sturdy, well-designed, time-tested saddle bag is a must during this race. Fatty's trusted Banjo Brothers bags on his LT100 bike race for more than a decade.

ENVE: Whether you're thinking about your cockpit or your wheels, the Leadville 100 is the very definition of an ENVE dream scenario. I've got an M5 bar and M525 wheels on his bike and rides without fear of broken components or pinch flats.

]]>57:04cleanIn this episode, we talk about the endurance racer’s worst enemy: CRAMPS, getting insight from The Queen of Pain as well as key learning from Fatty and Hottie. We also detail the dash for the Leadville City limits in our "The Course" segment, digging into the seven most important things you can know about the first six miles. Finally, Coach Jonathan Lee’s Leadville-specific intervals will be so hard, you just may find yourself putting some of our cramp remedies to an early test. fullFatty & HottieS1E1: Answering the Big QuestionS1E1: Answering the Big QuestionMon, 21 May 2018 17:33:15 +0000We kick off Season 1 by addressing the question that keeps every Leadville 100 MTB racer up at night: "Can I finish this race?" Race founder Ken Chlouber has some wisdom to lend with his perspective.

Rebecca Rusch launches her "Questions for the Queen" segment with advice on the most important thing you can do while training, during your taper, and during the race itself.

Coach Jonathan Lee has training tips to get you caught up and launch your next phase of training.

Finally, Fatty and Hottie get into their weekly deep-dive on the race course by detailing strategies for getting to the starting line ready for the race.

We went out of our way, for this podcast, to reach out exclusively to companies we actually love and buy stuff from ourselves. Which is to say, you won't find ads here for life insurance companies or mattresses or cooking kits that come to you in a box.

Shimano: Shimano XT Di2 is glorious anywhere, but its magnificence really comes into play when you're 78 miles into a high-altitude race and are now at a part of the race where it would be really nice to shift pretty much constantly, precisely, and perfectly, without much effort. That's Shimano XT Di2.

The Feed: The Leadville Trail 100 MTB Race is an eating contest disguised as a bike race, and you need to train for that eating contest. Get to know the good folks at The Feed and start using your race food plan now, before it's too late.

Banjo Brothers: A simple, sturdy, well-designed, time-tested saddle bag is a must during this race. Fatty's trusted Banjo Brothers bags on his LT100 bike race for more than a decade.

ENVE: Whether you're thinking about your cockpit or your wheels, the Leadville 100 is the very definition of an ENVE dream scenario. Fatty's got an M5 bar and 525 wheels on his bike and rides without fear of broken components or pinch flats.

]]>We kick off Season 1 by addressing the question that keeps every Leadville 100 MTB racer up at night: "Can I finish this race?" Race founder Ken Chlouber has some wisdom to lend with his perspective.

Rebecca Rusch launches her "Questions for the Queen" segment with advice on the most important thing you can do while training, during your taper, and during the race itself.

Coach Jonathan Lee has training tips to get you caught up and launch your next phase of training.

Finally, Fatty and Hottie get into their weekly deep-dive on the race course by detailing strategies for getting to the starting line ready for the race.

We went out of our way, for this podcast, to reach out exclusively to companies we actually love and buy stuff from ourselves. Which is to say, you won't find ads here for life insurance companies or mattresses or cooking kits that come to you in a box.

Shimano: Shimano XT Di2 is glorious anywhere, but its magnificence really comes into play when you're 78 miles into a high-altitude race and are now at a part of the race where it would be really nice to shift pretty much constantly, precisely, and perfectly, without much effort. That's Shimano XT Di2.

The Feed: The Leadville Trail 100 MTB Race is an eating contest disguised as a bike race, and you need to train for that eating contest. Get to know the good folks at The Feed and start using your race food plan now, before it's too late.

Banjo Brothers: A simple, sturdy, well-designed, time-tested saddle bag is a must during this race. Fatty's trusted Banjo Brothers bags on his LT100 bike race for more than a decade.

ENVE: Whether you're thinking about your cockpit or your wheels, the Leadville 100 is the very definition of an ENVE dream scenario. Fatty's got an M5 bar and 525 wheels on his bike and rides without fear of broken components or pinch flats.

]]>56:54noHere's the question that keeps every Leadville 100 MTB racer up at night: "Can I finish this race?" Race founder Ken Chlouber lends his wisdom.
Rebecca Rusch has advice on the most important thing you can do while training, during your taper, and during the race itself.
Coach Jonathan Lee helps get you caught up on and launch your next phase of training.
Finally, Fatty and Hottie deep-dive on the race course by detailing strategies for getting to the starting line ready for the race.fullFatty & HottieS0E6: A Conversation with Race Founder Ken ChlouberS0E6: A Conversation with Race Founder Ken ChlouberMon, 21 May 2018 17:05:49 +0000You're an out-of-work miner in a town with 60% unemployment. So what do you do? Well, what Ken did was create the most iconic 100-mile mountain biking and trail running races in America. Fatty talks with him about how, and why, and what he'd do next. It's an inspiring episode with a man who will genuinely make you believe you are better than you think you are, and can do more than you think you can.]]>You're an out-of-work miner in a town with 60% unemployment. So what do you do? Well, what Ken did was create the most iconic 100-mile mountain biking and trail running races in America. Fatty talks with him about how, and why, and what he'd do next. It's an inspiring episode with a man who will genuinely make you believe you are better than you think you are, and can do more than you think you can.]]>01:02:31noYou're an out-of-work miner in a town with 60% unemployment. So what do you do? Well, what Ken did was create the most iconic 100-mile mountain biking and trail running races in America. Fatty talks with him about how, and why, and what he'd do next. It's an inspiring episode with a man who will genuinely make you believe you are better than you think you are, and can do more than you think you can.fullS0E5: Chasing Rebecca Rusch S0E5: Chasing Rebecca Rusch Mon, 21 May 2018 16:57:01 +0000 This is Fatty’s story about his fastest Leadville ever. For some reason (probably because he reacts strongly to trash-talk), he fixated on beating four-time Leadville Trail 100 champion Rebecca Rusch's time from her first win. You'll have to decide for yourself whether this is a tale of obsession, redemption, or something else much weirder.]]> This is Fatty’s story about his fastest Leadville ever. For some reason (probably because he reacts strongly to trash-talk), he fixated on beating four-time Leadville Trail 100 champion Rebecca Rusch's time from her first win. You'll have to decide for yourself whether this is a tale of obsession, redemption, or something else much weirder.]]>42:11noThis is Fatty’s story about his fastest Leadville ever. For some reason (probably because he reacts strongly to trash-talk), he fixated on beating four-time Leadville Trail 100 champion Rebecca Rusch's time from her first win. You'll have to decide for yourself whether this is a tale of obsession, redemption, or something else much weirder.fullFatty & HottieS0E4: Finishing in Under 9 Hours, FinallyS0E4: Finishing in Under 9 Hours, FinallyMon, 21 May 2018 16:48:22 +0000 Like most people, the first time Fatty rode the Leadville 100, he just wanted to finish. And like most people, after that he wanted more. Time after time he chased a sub-nine-hour finish, and time after time he missed.

Until his fifteenth year of racing the Leadville. This is Fatty’s story of the year everything finally came together.

]]>27:29noLike most people, the first time Fatty rode the Leadville 100, he just wanted to finish. And like most people, after that he wanted more. Time after time he chased a sub-nine-hour finish, and time after time he missed.
Until his fifteenth year of racing the Leadville. This is Fatty’s story of the year everything finally came together. fullFatty & HottieS0E3: One Gear and a Great YearS0E3: One Gear and a Great YearMon, 21 May 2018 02:16:11 +0000Ask yourself: what would it take for you to call a race your best ever? Would you need to win? Set a personal record? Move up in your category’s standings? That's what Fatty has always looked for, and this year — his first on a single speed — had none of those things. But it's still stands out as one of his favorite days on a bike.

Enjoy this bonus episode!

]]>Ask yourself: what would it take for you to call a race your best ever? Would you need to win? Set a personal record? Move up in your category’s standings? That's what Fatty has always looked for, and this year — his first on a single speed — had none of those things. But it's still stands out as one of his favorite days on a bike.

Enjoy this bonus episode!

]]>25:47noAsk yourself: what would it take for you to call a race your best ever? Would you need to win? Set a personal record? Move up in your category’s standings? That's what Fatty has always looked for, and this year — his first on a single speed — had none of those things. But it's still stands out as one of his favorite days on a bike.
Enjoy this bonus episode!fullFatty & HottieS0E2: Three Racers, One Great FinishS0E2: Three Racers, One Great FinishMon, 21 May 2018 01:55:42 +0000Fatty and two of his best friends, Bob and Dug, each tell their story of racing the 1998 Leadville Trail 100. All of them had big plans, and not one of them hit their goal. Somehow, though, all of them had a pretty amazing experience (although Fatty probably should have gotten stitches afterward).

Enjoy this bonus — i.e., not one of the weekly episodes of the show — story the next time you need a little Leadville inspiration.

]]>Fatty and two of his best friends, Bob and Dug, each tell their story of racing the 1998 Leadville Trail 100. All of them had big plans, and not one of them hit their goal. Somehow, though, all of them had a pretty amazing experience (although Fatty probably should have gotten stitches afterward).

Enjoy this bonus — i.e., not one of the weekly episodes of the show — story the next time you need a little Leadville inspiration.

]]>41:01noFatty and two of his best friends, Bob and Dug, each tell their story of racing the 1998 Leadville Trail 100. All of them had big plans, and not one of them hit their goal. Somehow, though, all of them had a pretty amazing experience (although Fatty probably should have gotten stitches afterward).
fullFatty & HottieS0E1: Fatty's First Leadville Trail 100S0E1: Fatty's First Leadville Trail 100Mon, 21 May 2018 00:56:38 +0000 Way back in 1997 the Leadville Trail 100 Mountain Bike Race was capped at 400 people — one fifth as many as today! — and all you needed to do to get in was mail in your registration.

Fatty was there, and wrote up his story, now read for you twenty years later by Fatty himself. See if you can catch all the things he got wrong (the food he ate, the names of parts of the course, much more).

]]> Way back in 1997 the Leadville Trail 100 Mountain Bike Race was capped at 400 people — one fifth as many as today! — and all you needed to do to get in was mail in your registration.

Fatty was there, and wrote up his story, now read for you twenty years later by Fatty himself. See if you can catch all the things he got wrong (the food he ate, the names of parts of the course, much more).

]]>26:17noWay back in 1997 the Leadville Trail 100 Mountain Bike Race was capped at 400 people — one fifth as many as today! — and all you needed to do to get in was mail in your registration.
Fatty was there, and here's his story. See if you can catch all the things he got wrong (the food he ate, the names of parts of the course, much more).
This is a "Leadville: Season 0" race story (not one of our regular weekly shows) to keep you company during a long training ride. Enjoy!full